REVELATION,CHAPTER FOUR PART I

Amen. Praise the Lord. [Blank spot on tape—Ed.]…self. Ithink that’s the attitude of a lot of people. It’s mighty nice,

young sister there, that last verse. I sure appreciated that. Andwe…coming into New Year’s night I don’t think you could singanything any better, anymore appropriate for this night.2 Looks like we’re starting the year off good; uh-huh, good andsnowy and sloppy outside, typical Indiana weather at this timeof year. So you people from Georgia I see here, and up in Ohio.Now, Brother Dauch, you and Sister Dauch know what that is, asOhio’s the same. And…but, we’re going to a Landwhere there’llnot be any of that. Uh-huh. That’s the thing.3 This is New Year’s night, eve. And, course, everybody’s got avow wrote out and a pledge you’re going to make for New Year’s,then about day after tomorrow they’ll all be broke. And so, youknow, you turn a new page every year, and then turn back the nextmorning, did it again.4 But there’s just one thing that—that I would like to say, andthat is that like Apostle Paul said, “Forgetting those things arein the past, all my mistakes and all the things that I have done, Ipress towards the mark of the high calling in Christ.” That’s theonly regrets that I have is my errors for the past year, and the pastpart of my life, and I only humbly ask Him for grace to press ontowards the mark of the high calling. I’m sure that’s the testimonyof—of all of us, we’d all feel that way.5 Sorry that it’s such a bad night and—and people didn’t get tocome. And I called Brother Neville, I didn’t even know whetherhe could get here or not. And then Brother Skaggs come up, andhe come from way down in Kentucky where she’s three feet orbetter down in there. And so…Or, “About like this,” he said, sohe had a farmer pull him out a couple times and put him over thehill with a tractor. And so I thought, “Well, if it’s just two or threeinches, we won’t mind that, uh-huh, as long as it’s like that.” Butthe roads are passable and everybody’s going on.6 Now, of course, tonight is a nightwherewe hear from a varietyof ministers, different ones who come in. And they’ll probablybe coming on along through the different parts tonight, up till

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midnight. I think they’ll set and watch if the…for the New Yearto go…come in, and the old one to go out. And usually they callaround the altar and pray and—and make their vows to God andrenew their—their vows.7 I told Brother Neville…And I called him to see if he wascoming. I said if he didn’t come, I’d try to carry on the best thatI could. And then if he couldn’t get here in the morning, why, I’dcontinue on to do all that I could while he was—he wasn’t here.And I told him I was going to try tonight, thinking about justhaving about a fifteen-minute’s message, or something. And, wesee you got several otherministers sitting here, waiting.8 So I was…thought I’d start and just continue on in this Bookof Revelation, just go right on down, pick up the 4th chapter now,start off. And if we don’t get through with it this time, the nexttime we’ll continue on. Then go to the 5th, and 6th, and just aswe can. The Lord help us to get through it.9 I want to say, before we start, that there was…had a visita while ago from—from…Brother Drummond Thom and hiswife. This is her mother and father sitting here tonight. Andthey just returned from Africa where they’ve been having greatsoul-saving services and Divine healing services. This little ladytook her…I believe her grandmother’s place, the other day,and having a jail service, and sinners come to the Lord, andeverything. It was just wonderful how God is using that youngcouple. They’re here now in America for a while to do someevangelism.10 If any of you pastors…I want to write Brother Drummonda…Drummond, I, yeah, I get that name all mixed up. Whycouldn’t he have just took a good English name and forgot aboutit? Let’s just give him a number, what do you say, ’cause I can’tget that, no. I don’t think half of us can get it. “Drummont,” Ithink, is the right way you pronounce it; and Sister Charlotte. Ifany of you’d like to have them, I’d sure like to hear them get inyour church.11 That lady, this Sister Charlotte, she’s just a kid. She was givingtestimony up there a while ago, to Meda, of the experience they’dhad in Africa, and I tell you it was…Billy, it brought old timesback again; sounded like speaking Afrikaans. And so the battle ison down there as well as it is here.12 If anybody would like to have Brother Drummond for a…and Sister Charlotte, for a campaign in their church, if you would,you just call Brother Tony Zabel there atMElrose 7-3945. If you’d

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like to put it down, some of you ministers, I certainly recommendBrother…For he’s a good preacher, sincere boy, that really needsa start, get started out. And he’s fearless, good boy, and I like himvery much. Now, you remember, MElrose 7-3945. And I’ll leavethis little card here, where that if you…That’s their card, and ifyou happen to not be able to put the number down, well, you cancome pick it up, or anytime after the intermission between thedifferent services tonight. And get their number and call them ifyou’d like to have them in some of your churches for a meeting,or someone that you know that would like to have them, ’causethey’re just crusading across America.13 Isn’t that something?Africa has to sendmissionaries over hereto America! This is the place they’re needed, right here, worsethan it is over there.14 So how many is glad and happy the Lord spared you throughanother year? And here we are, coming up to the end of theroad. And pray that God will forgive us of all of our sins and ourshortcomings.15 Now, Iwant to say this before I start. I wish, to each one of youall, the most successful and blessful and healthy new year that Ican wish to you. God be with you! May you grow both physically,and spiritually, and financially, and materially. Everything thatGod can bring upon you, I pray that He’ll do it.16 Now I’m facing a new year, myself, God only knowswhat laysin the future. And our decisions has to be made right away. Wegot all of our stuff. Brother Jim, up there, has got it ready now, forthe invitations and things from internationally, world-wide; to seewhere the Lord will lead us. And I certainly solicit the prayers ofyou people, to pray with all your heart that God will never let mebe misled. I—I…Of anything I want to be, is sincere and neverbe misled. And now, I’ve had a good year.17 Many times, people misunderstands. And when they say,“Brother Branham, you’re—you’re…you don’t go to the placeslike you used to, and like these other ministers do, and have allthe…” I—I learned one thing, that learning a lesson from ourBible and from our Lord, that Jesus was not a showman. He—He lacked that, He didn’t have showmanship. See, He—He wasn’ta showman, at all. And I don’t believe that His disciples areshowmen.Never did they evermake themselves showmen.18 That’s where I think we miss the boat a lot today, (Maybe it’sjust my own idea.) that, when we have to make a big blow about

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everything, you know why, I think it looks like it’s more of a showthan it is the sacredness.19 Did you notice in the coming of the Lord, those who reallyreceived Him? Was Simeon, nobody never heard nothing abouthim, but he was looking for the Lord. Blind Anna, in the temple.John the Baptist, in the wilderness. And those…20 John went in the wilderness at nine years old, never appearedagain till he was thirty; in the wilderness. And men like thatwho secretly believed, and kept humble, they was looking for thecoming of the Lord. And they never did blow their meetings upand have to put it on great signs (“The hour! The time!”) and—andtelecasts and everything. That’s all right to those who want to doit that way, but, tome, that doesn’t seemChrist-like.21 I know one time His brethren told Him, said, “You do thesemiracles and things, why don’t You go up here to—to Jerusalem?And we’re going up to the feast of Passover, call out Caiaphas thehigh priest, and all those, and let them know. Do it before themlike that, that they might see Your works. And now, see, what areYou fooling with a bunch of fishermen, and so forth, down on theriver, and that low class of people? What…Why don’t You getup here and let the world see it?” See?22 Jesus said, “Your hour is always, Mine hour has not come.”Uh-huh. See?23 John was one time…John the Baptist, the—the Scripturesspoke of him coming. And said, “When he come, that…” Why,Isaiah said, about seven hundred and twelve years before he wasborn, “There’d be a voice of one crying in the wilderness.” Andsaid, “All the mountains skipped like little lambs, all the leavesclapped their hands, the high places was made low, and the lowplaces was made high.”24 Such prophecies as that! What do you think ministers of thatday…When they picked That up, they must have said, “My!When that great prophet comes, everybody will know him. Godwill just spread back the canopies of the sky, the corridors ofHeaven will lower down, a chariot of fire will move down, aangelic band escort him to the earth.”25 When he come, he was an ol’ fuzzy-faced preacher with apiece of sheepskin wrapped around him, with a piece of leatherfor a belt. Probably never took a bath; every three or four months.Out there in the wilderness, come out, stand in mud, knee deep,preaching, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” Henever went to no cities. If anybody wanted to hear him, they come

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out to Jordan to hear him, them that want to. What did he do?He shook the nation, he shook the world.26 There’s a shaking going on that people don’t know nothingabout. When Jesus come, He never represented Himself amongthe big high’s. He come to His Own, He come to those Who werelooking for Him. There’s where the shaking come. That’s what Hedoes today. The Holy Spirit comes to those who God has called.There’s a great shaking amongst the Elect. Great, powerful thinggoing on, but the world knows nothing of it.27 They think, all this big flowerily stuff, and world-widebroadcasts, and televisions, and million-dollar buildings, andeverything, that that’s the things that’s going great. That’s foolishto the sight of God. God don’t look at big things. What mancalls “foolish,” God calls “Great”; and what man calls “great,”God calls “foolish.” “It pleased Him, through the foolishness ofpreaching, to save those which were lost.”28 Now, John. What do you think they say? “There’s an ol’fanatic out there, ol’ fuzzy-faced-looking fellow, come out of thewilderness with a sheepskin wrapped around him. And, why, hestands inmud, barefooted, out there on the side of the Jordan, andcarrying on out there.Who ever heard of such a thing?”29 When Jesus come. “A Messiah, born over there in a stable,over a pile of straw, and—and the cattle lowing around? And—and you mean with a mother…Illegitimate, as his father…Themother was to be mother before they was even wed, why, He wasborn out of holy wedlock. That fellow?” Oh, my! See? But It wasGreat, they just didn’t know It. See? They didn’t know It.30 And so is the Gospel today “Great.” And the Gospel isshaking like It’s never shook before, but It’s shaking in theremnant. That’s right, fixing them ready.31 “He came to His Own, His Own received Him not.” He toldHis disciples, “Don’t go in the ways of the Gentiles, but go ratherto the lost sheep of Israel. And, as you go, he that receives youreceives Me. When you go into a city, they won’t receive you,shake the dust from your feet and walk away. And verily I sayunto you, be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the dayof the Judgment than it will be for that city.” And every one ofthose cities that refused thosemen are laying in ashes today. Everyone that did receive them, is still standing as a spire. That’s right,see. Takes a long time to answer; but God answers, don’t worry. Idon’t get started on that one, I’ll never get intoRevelation.Oh!

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Oh, I want to see Him, look upon His face,There to sing forever of His saving grace;On the streets of Glory let me lift my voice;When cares all pass, and home at last, ever torejoice.

32 I like that. Let’s bow our heads just amoment.Would you liketo stand before you do it? I—I think…TheBible said, “When youstand, praying, forgive.” How many has a request you’d just liketo just let it be known by a lifted hand? Remember, God sees it,He knows all about it.33 Our Heavenly Father, we are approaching Thy DivineHoliness in the Name of the Lord Jesus, that all-sufficient Namethat was given here among men, that even the families in Heavenand in earth is all named “Jesus.”34 And we pray, Lord, that You’ll receive our thanksgiving.First, to begin, this dying year…as we’re issuing it out tonightin service, issuing it out giving praise, studying Thy Word andknowing what THUS SAITH THE LORD mean. How manythings could we put down on a paper to be thankful for! The little,narrow escapes that we’ve had this year, where Satan would havesmothered our life out, but You’re not through with us yet. Sowe’re still continuing on. We believe, Lord, that we’re only bornand raised in this world to honor and glorify Thee.35 And we pray, Father, You’ll forgive us for every trespass andevery mistake that we’ve made down along the journey. Let usforget our mistakes tonight as we confess them, burying them inthe Sea of Forgetfulness, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, neverto dig them up again; but now press towards this mark, for thatperfectMan, Christ Jesus. Grant it tonight, Father.36 As Your servants speak, each of them, may You anoint themwith the Spirit of Life, and may they preach like never before, andbring the messages into the church tonight.37 Andwe gathered here under this little roof, that we’re gratefulfor it, Lord. We’re thankful to have a warm fire to sit by, for a roofover our head, that’s all is necessary.38 For our treasures are not in this world, it’s in the world thatis to come. God, we are laying up there where we believe thatthieves can’t break in and rob, and moth does not corrupt it, forour treasures are Eternal Life. And we pray, Father, that You’ll letus cherish that all the days of our life.39 Make us fit servants. Take all evil out of us, Lord, all the past.Lay it…May all roots of malice and all bitterness be taken from

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our lives, that we might be humble and sweet before You. Grantit, Lord. Let us have the greatest year we’ve ever had yet, thiscoming year. Grant it. Give us now, tonight, of Thy Word as wewait further for Thy messages. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.May be seated.40 Now, it’s kind of hard for me to see that clock around there,and I don’t want to keep my brethren waiting, so I’ll try to hurryas fast as possible and get this part out. And, maybe, if we do notfinish up, then tomorrow morning we will try to maybe continueon, if the Lord willing. And then if Brother Neville doesn’t getdown, or whatever, well, then I’ll try, the Lord willing, to be hereto carry on the Sunday school service.41 Now, don’t forget now:

Pray, pray, the only way…reach higher grounds;Pray, pray, the prayer of faithWill bring God’s blessings down.

42 That’s the onlyway you’ll ever do it. Let’s sing it together. ThisNew Year’s now. We got plenty time.

Let’s pray, pray, the only wayTo reach higher ground;Pray, pray, the prayer of faithWill bring God’s blessings down.

43 So if the prayer of faith brings God’s blessings down, let’scontinue to pray. So glad, tonight, we got new faces in theKingdom of God that wasn’t in last year. And I’m, just continueto praying that more and more will be added all the time. And thehalf has never yet been told what it’ll be on the other side.44 Now, we’ll turn to the 4th chapter of Revelation. Doesanybody need a Bible? We got some Bibles up here if you’d liketo follow us. All right, one of the ushers come forth now, we justgot a whole string of Bibles here. One of the trustees, ushers, orsomething, come up here right away. Brother Zabel; let one morecome, too. If you want to just take both sides, and we’ll go rightdown the aisle. And anybody that wants a Bible, to follow alongwith us, why, just take them right down and give them to anybodythat wants them.

Andwewant you to turn now toRevelation, the 4th chapter.45 And, now, if you’re sitting back and wanting to move forwardhere, we just got plenty of room tonight for you to move up. Andmake yourself comfortable, and just get right into the lesson and

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help me read it, and study it as we come together. There’s seats uphere. I see a couple coming. And here’s two seats right here. Here’sone for that single one right in here. And right back in here, there’sjust seats up here. I guess the blowers are just kind of universal.46 And now, how many enjoyed our lesson that we just had, theeight-day lesson on the Seven Church Ages? Thank you. Makes mefeel good, ’cause I really got a great blessing out of themmyself.47 Now, tonight with the 4th chapter, we’re leaving off now, Johnhad spoke to the Laodicean Church Age. And, in this LaodiceanChurch Age, it was the most messed up church age of all the restof them.48 And we found the most pathetic thing in the last part of theLaodicean Church Age, Jesus standing on the outside of His Ownchurch where He had been put out, knocking at the door, tryingto get back in. Isn’t that sinful? I think that’s about one of themost pathetic Scriptures that I’ve ever read. Jesus, outside of HisOwn door, and His church had put Him out, and He was tryingto get back in to only save them. “Any man that will open, let Meback in My Own house, I’ll sup with him and he with Me.” Isn’tthat a…isn’t that pathetic? The God of Heaven, put out of HisOwn church, by their creeds and denominations and the way theywere doing. Put them out…put Him out of the church, acceptedtheir creed.49 It’s the very same thing as it was the day that Jesus wascrucified. And that was that when they accepted Barabbas, amurderer, and crucified Jesus. Loosed a murderer among them,that was proven “a murderer,” and accept…and turned downJesus Christ, the only One that could give themLife.50 And that’s the same thing every denomination, and thePentecostal denomination, has got today. They see that thosedenominations die just as quick as they denominate. There neverhas been a one (in—in the pages of history) that ever denominatedand that ever done anything but die immediately. All signs,wonders, and gifts left them, and everything else, as soon as theydenominated. And instead of accepting the Lord Jesus to givethem Life, they went right straight back and loosed Barabbasamong them again. Isn’t that something awful? No wonder Godwas put right out of His church, and standing, knocking, the lastchurch age, trying to get back in.51 Now, we find out that Revelation is blocked off in three parts.The first is the first three chapters, pertains to the Church, theMessage, the angel…to the angels of the Church. And from…

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And then She disappears right there in the 3rd chapter, doesnot appear again until the 19th chapter, in the 19th chapterShe returned. Between this time, God is dealing with the Jews.Then, from then on, it’s between the coming of the great city ofJerusalem, and the—the sealing away of the people of Israel, andso forth, at the end time.52 Now, so tonight we leave…Immediately after this, John hadsaw…On the isle of Patmos…How many remembers how farPatmos was off of the…out from the shore? How far out was it?About thirty miles, that’s right, out from the coast. And how farwas it around Patmos? You remember some of the geographic?About fifteen miles around it. And it was used for an exile forthe Romans, put prisoners out there. And John was out therefor what? What’d he do? Did he—did he steal something? No.Was he…They put him out there because he was disturbing thepeople and…or doing something evil? No. What was he outthere for? For the Word of God and his testimony, for preachingthe Gospel.53 And can anything happen to a Christian without it’s for thebest? No, no, no. So what did God get him out there alone on theisland for? Give us this Book of Revelation. See, God just can pullthe wool over the devil’s eyes anytime He wants to. Can’t He? Hejust simply can. I just love Him. Because, I don’t have to be smart,see. Now, if I was smart, I’d try to forget all about it ’cause I knowno one could be as smart as Him. And so I—I just…WhateverI got, I surrender myself to Him and just do what He says do.That’s all. Sometimes it’s very contrary to the way I think it is.But I know, if He’s leading it, He’s smart. He knows what He’sdoing, I don’t. So I just let Him do it, you see, then it’s just…it’sall right. See? So I just let Him do it. That’s it, Brother Neville.Yes, sir, just let Him do it. See? He’s the One knows what He’sdoing, I don’t. See? So I just don’t try to have any great big flowersand things. And just humble myself, and say, “Here I am, Father,anytime You want me.” So just go right on like that and it alwayscomes out right.54 So, John, we wouldn’t have had a—a Book of Revelation if ithadn’t have been for John, and if John hadn’t have went out onthe isle. That was God’s way of giving us the Book of Revelation.He was out there, I think, about three years, and on the Book…wrote the Book of Revelation.55 Now, then when we leave him at the last of the invitation, ofthe 22nd verse of the 3rd chapter, “He that has an ear, let him hearwhat the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

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56 Now, begin the 4th chapter:After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in

heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were…atrumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, andI will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

57 We’re going to take It verse by verse. And I’ve got a lot ofScriptures wrote down here, a book of them, and I don’t knowhow far we get into It. May the Lord lead us. Now, watch, theWord is:

After these things (after the Church age)…58 And all this from hereafter, now, will be pertaining, will takeplace on earth after the Rapture of the Church. See, after theRapture. This is going back now to pick up Israel. After theChurch age, after the ages of the Church, and they…TheChurchnever appears again until Revelation the 19th chapter when ShereturnswithHer Bridegroom. PraiseGod for theWedding!59 Let’s just read that. Would you like to read these Scripturesas we go through? All right. Let’s turn to Revelation 19. All right,sir, Revelation 19. Let’s begin at the 7th verse, Revelation 19. Thisis when the Church appears again, never appears again till over inthe 19th chapter.

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for themarriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herselfready.

60 Oh, I—I could preach on that till midnight and not half tell it.Look, “His wife hath made Herself ready.”61 Charlie, Nellie, and you all, just what we was talking, downthere, and Rodney, the other day. See? When Elisha throwed thatgarment upon Elijah…Or Elijah put it upon Elisha; he reachedback and took it off again, put it on himself and walked with it onhim till he crossed Jordan, and went on the mountain and got upin the chariot, dropped it back.62 When a Christian’s first saved, his face is turned towardsChrist, then he’s got something to do himself. He has to,next thing, sanctify himself from all unclean habits, “layingaside every weight, making Herself ready. The Bride has madeHerself ready!”63 Reminds me of a little story, I just must say it ’fore we go on.Out West here, some time ago, many years, there was this greatArmour and Swift Packing Company. How they do, they comeout there and buy cattle and buy ranches. And they’re worth a

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lot of money, and buy up all the small ranches, and have millionsof acres of ranch like that, run these big, fine Hereford cattle insections. Their own…Own their own railroads and things thatbrings them cattle from one pasture to another.64 And Armour and Swift had a big ranch, and one day theyhad a foreman there, the superintendent, it was, of the ranch, hehad about four or five daughters. And they found out that one ofthe big Armour brothers was…or, not brothers, but sons, weregoing to visit the ranch. And he was a—a young, single man. Andall these girls was sure they was going to vamp this boy as soonas he—he come. And so they all was getting ready and makingeverything ready to come.65 When he got there, they was going to meet him and put on anold frontier day, with their little dresses on, with their fringe onit, and .44’s on each hip, and them hats on the back of their head,you know. And they was going to be regular westerners, and eachone of the girls was going to get…One of them was going to getthis boy.66 And they had a—a little cousin there that hermother was deadand her father was dead. She was a cousin, and she almost was theslave to all that was there. And all the dirty work, she had to do it,washing the dishes and everything. And she had no clothes, shehad to take hand-me-downs and…67 So when the time come that the boy was to arrive, they allgot in their buckboards and, away, down to the station they wentto receive him. And they was shooting the guns, and the horsesnickering, and everything. And they brought him out to the ranch.And that night they had a big shindig. And they got out thereon the haystacks and the corral fence, and they—they sang andthey danced, and all through the night. He was there for two orthree days.68 This little cousin…Now, I’m going to liken this to somethingnow. Our cousins that’s all dressed up, big spires and finechurches, and looks like if there’s any dirty name it has to begive to the pentecostals, something that’s wrong. They do thewrong thing too, but there’s nothing heard about, you see. They’rekind of classical, so they…you don’t hear about that. But letsome Pentecostal minister make a mistake one time, and, brother,I’m telling you, they’ll pack her across the country in everynewspaper. Yes, sir. Let some pentecostal brother pray for a child,and it dies, every newspaper in the country will pack it, “DivineHealing Is Fanaticism.”

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69 Well, then why not put every case in the paper that the doctorloses? “Sauce for the goose, it’s sauce for the gander.” See? So,if they would do that, they wouldn’t have enough room in thecolumns in the papers to write all the dead. If I’d go out here inthe graveyard and say, “Everybody that ever died under Divinehealing stand up,” and then say, “Everybody ever died undermedical treatment stand up,” would outnumber them a millionto one. And that’s exactly right. So if they’re going to criticizeone, criticize the other. So that’s right. But they kill millions ayear with medicines and operations, and you never hear a wordabout it. You see?70 So, this little girl, she had all the rough work to do. So when,all at once, the boy…one night when supper was over and theyhad had dances, and each one of these girls had prettied all up,you know. And this poor little girl had to have a little, old, raggeddress on. And one night she was sitting in the mess hall after thesupper was over, and she had washed the dishes and she run outthrough the back yard to throw the dishwater out. She…whenshe turned around the corral fence, there he stood, leaning at thecorral fence. He said, “Hello.”71 She was so ashamed, because that was the superintendent’sboy, the son of the owner of the ranch. She held the dishpan down,so he wouldn’t notice her so ragged; started backing off, with herbare feet, looking back, like this.72 And he walked up to her, said, “Don’t be afraid of me.” Said,“I want to tell you something.” He said, “I come out here for onepurpose, I come out to find a wife.” And said, “I’ve been lookingeverywhere.” Said, “I didn’t want to marry any of the girls backthere in the city, I want to get what I thought was a real wife.”And said, “Of all that I’ve seen, I’ve been noticing you aroundhere. And I’ve found out through some of the hands that you’re acousin.”

Said, “That’s right, sir.”73 Said, “I want to ask you something. Will you marry me?”Why, she didn’t know what to do. She was so beset, she didn’t—she didn’t know how to answer the man.74 Oh, I just about imagine how she felt. Don’t you? Whenme, a sinner once, no good for nothing, a drunkard’s child, JesusChrist said, “I want you for Mine.” How could He ever come tosomebody like me? How could He ever say, “I’ll give you a homeinHeaven”?How couldHe ever say, “I’ll save you”? Such awretchas me, how could it ever be? But He did it!

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75 She said, “Sir, I—I’m not—I—I’m not worthy. I couldn’t makea wife to a man like you,” said, “because you are used to greatthings. And I know nothing about them, I’m poor.”

He said, “But you are my choice.”76 And wasn’t it nice when Jesus told you that…? You knowedyou wasn’t worthy to be a Christian. You, there wasn’t nothingyou could ever do, but He…It’s nothing…He—He just choseyou. See? He…It’s His goodness, His mercy that He chose you.You didn’t chooseHim, you know,He chose you. That’s right.

She said, “I—I don’t…” She said…77 “Don’t look at your clothes. I don’t look at your clothes, I lookat what you are.” He said, “Will you marry me?” And finally theagreement was made. And he said, “One year from this day, I willreturn. You be ready. Have the wedding garment on, for I willreturn and marry you right here on these grounds. And I’ll takeyou to Chicago, to Outer Drive, there where you’ll have a castle tolive in. And all this dishwashingwill be over, and things, then.”78 When the sisters, or the cousins, heard about that, they said,“You poor, little, ignorant fool! Why, you know that man didn’tmean that!”79 And isn’t that just exactly what they say today? “How coulda bunch of holy-rollers, a bunch of people that hardly can writetheir own name, how would they ever be the Church? How woulda group like that ever be?” But that’s just all right. When we gotengaged and felt that betrothal kiss of Jesus Christ on our heart totake away our sin, Something tells us that He’s coming back again,just as sure as the world. SomedayHe’ll come back.80 All year she worked, slaving, saving here little seventy-five-cents, what—what they give here for her wages a day. And shewas saving up her money to buy her wedding gown, to makeeverything ready. Oh, that was all of her thoughts, making ready.(And he has…“She has made Herself ready.”) She got herclothes, her wedding clothes, while her cousins laughed at her andmade fun of her.81 Finally it come to the…finally the day. She dressed herself inher wedding garment (Oh!), got all ready and cleaned up. And herlittle cousins come around and bowed by her and said, “Well, yousilly little thing. Why, you know he didn’t mean that. He wouldn’tspeak to a…marry a girl like you.” But, she made herself ready,anyhow.

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82 So it come along late in the evening, and they begin to mockand make fun of her. She stood right at the door, waiting, anyhow.And so she…he said, “What time did he say he’d be here?”83 Said, “He didn’t say.” But said, “She told…he told me thenight that he’d marry…or he give me the engagement ring. Hesaid, he toldme, ‘It would be about one year from now.’ ThereforeI’ve got a hour left.” Amen, just kept waiting. “I got one hour left,thirty minutes left, ten minutes left.” And they laughed and madefun of her, and called her everything.84 But, finally, right at that crucial hour, they heard the sandturning under the wheels, the horses coming. What a thing it wasto see that little bride that made herself ready, jump out of thedoor, and around through the rose-covered trellis out there, to flyinto the arms of the man that she loved, and to be her husband, topick her up in like that, and bemarried and ride away.85 Some of these days, brother, those who are making funand saying “holy-roller,” and—and “pentecostal,” and things likethat…We’re waiting, we still got a little time. They say, “Ah,there’s no difference what there ever was.” Don’t worry, we gota little time left. And at that moment that He promised, He’ll behere. And some of these days we’ll take a flight and go away. Justbe ready! Keep the Wedding Garment on! Keep all cruel out ofyour heart. Everything that…86 Listen how this Scripture reads here:

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for themarriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herselfready. (Get it?)And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine

linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousnessof saints. (Praise be to God!)And he said unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are

called to themarriage supper of the Lamb. And he said untome, These are the true sayings of God.

87 So there’s going to be a meeting in the air one of these days,in that sweet, sweet by and by. Uh-huh. Just stay ready! Keepyourself ready! Purge your heart from all evil thinking. Have faithin God, no matter how dark it looks and how many laughs andmakes fun and says, “You’ve made a mistake.” Keep right onliving holy and living for God. Just keep moving on, the hourwill arrive!88 So, you see, She appears again now inRevelation 19:

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After these things…(After he had seen the Churchage.)After these things I looked, and, behold, a door…

89 Now, remember, John is still on Patmos. And after he had seenall the church ages go through:

…I looked, and, behold, a door was opened inheaven:…

90 “A Door.” What is the Door? Revelation 3:8. In Revelation,the 3rd chapter and the 8th verse, “I know thy works. Behold, Ihave set before thee an open Door that no man can shut it, canshut and no man can open.” He is the Door! The Door! Christis the Door. He said, in Saint John 10, “I am the Door to thesheepfold.”91 And in the old country, you find that a shepherd runs in hissheep. After he counts them and sees they’re all in, then he laysdown right in the door. The wolf can’t come in without wakinghim up, or his sheep can’t go out without coming over him. Oh,how safely the sheep feel because the shepherd’s laid down inthe door.92 Noah, in the Old Testament, stood in the door of the ark. Oh,listen; going to say something! He stood in the door and preachedrepentance and righteousness to the people that laughed at him.And in that same door that he stood in, no man could come intothe ark except by that one door.Wasn’t but one door in the ark.93 And there’s only one Way! All right, Brother…?…There’sonly one Way that goes into the Body of Christ. There’s only oneDoor to the Church of the living God, and Jesus is that Door! “Iam the Door! I am the Way, the road that leads to the Door. I amthe Door to the sheepfold.”94 He said to this church age, “I’ve set before you an openDoor.”He said that to the Methodist church age, they turned away fromIt, went in organization. “But I’ve set before you an open Door.”Now, after they had received sanctification, He said, “I’ll put theopen Door,” which is the Holy Spirit. “By one Spirit we are all”(how?) “baptized into one Body which is Christ.” He set thatmessage before the Methodist church and they turned aside fromIt. They come up to sanctification and refused the Holy Ghost.Remember that? That “open Door.”95 How do you get into Christ? By one Spirit, Holy Spirit, whichis Christ’s Spirit. We’ve entered in, not by handshaking, not bysprinkling, but by one Holy Ghost baptism we are all baptized

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into one Body and made partakers of that Body. One Holy Ghostbaptism into that Door.96 ThisDoor set inHeaven, thatDoor, when he looked up he sawthe Lord Jesus. Just watch the following part of it. That Door, theLord Jesus.

…I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven:and the first voice…I heard was…a voice of atrumpet…

97 Now the scene is changing. John’s been watching Patmos,and now he looks up. Why? He sees something went on on earthhere (these church ages), all down the Seven Church Ages, andthen after he got through seeing the church ages, after that, afterthe church ages has ceased, he heard a Voice. And he looked uptowards Heaven and he seen an open Door, and the first Voicesounded like a trumpet. All right, scene changed from Patmos toHeaven.98 The Voice was the same Voice that walked in the sevengolden candlesticks; same Voice, the Voice didn’t change. But, theVoice, where was It when he heard It the first time? How manyremembers, in the first church age? Behind him. “I was in theSpirit on the Lord’s day,” Revelation 1—1:10. So he…“In theSpirit.” If you want to put that down in Revelation 1:10 and 13,“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me asa Voice of a trumpet and sounded like many waters. And whenI turned to look, I saw One standing in the midst of the sevengolden candlesticks.”99 Now, after He showed him all that mystery of them sevengolden candlesticks (holding the seven stars, and a white wig on,and so forth, and feet like brass, and eyes like fire, the symbols),then he heard the same Voice (Watch.) speaking from Heaven.And he looked up and he saw an open Door. Oh! An open Doorinto Heaven! How do you get in? By Christ Jesus, that one Door,one Way, no other way.100 “Any man that climbs up any other way, same is a thief and arobber.” And in the parable of the one who climbed up and was atthe Wedding Supper without a garment on, was found guilty, andbound and cast out into outer darkness. Only one Way, coming tothe Wedding Supper. I believe I preached on it here not long ago.Whenever the bridegroom…When a man got…gets marriedin the old country, he has to give the invitations himself, he hasto furnish the robes himself. So when he met this man there, himsitting at the supper table…How many remembers the parable?

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Sure, you that read the Bible. And he found a man at the suppertable without a wedding garment on.101 What is it? The Bridegroom stands at the door and all comesup with an invitation. “No man can come to the Father except byMe. All the Father has given Me, or invited, will come to Me.”Here they come, give their invitation, the bridegroom, so thateverybody will look alike. That’s one thing about good, old-time,HolyGhost religion, it makes them all look alike.Whether they’rerich or poor, bond or free, black or white, male or female, they’reall one in Christ Jesus. And the bridegroom stood at the door andreceived the invitation, put the robe around this fellow, so the richand poor all looked alike. That’s the way it is in the Kingdom ofGod, there’s no big guys and little guys; they’re all one guy, allone in Christ.102 Now, what do you think when the Bridegroom come backand found a man sitting there without a Wedding Garment on?Said, “Friend, how’d you get in here?” And he stood speechless,it showed that he come some other way besides the Door. Hecome in a window, he come in a back door. And He called hima friend, showed he was a church member, “Friend, how didyou get in here without a garment on?” Now, Jesus said this,Himself. And He called to the porter, He said, “Bind him, footand hand.” And he was cast out into outer darkness where there’llbe weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. That’s Christ’s OwnWords, (Right.) “He was cast out.” Because, it proved, withouttheWeddingGarment, he come some other way besides theDoor.If he would have come by the Door, he would have received aWedding Garment.103 Oh, listen to this! Then if theWeddingGarment is the baptismof the Holy Spirit, how are we going to be represented any otherway? If the first church age had to come by the Door, Christ Jesus,be baptized into the Name of Jesus Christ, receive the baptism ofthe Holy Ghost, to put on the Wedding Garment, how are wecoming any other way? If you come by the Methodist, by theBaptist, or by the Pentecostals, or any other denomination, youwill be bound and cast out into outer darkness. You’ve got to comebyChrist Jesus, theWay, theDoor, the Truth, the Life. Amen!104 All right, same Voice, Revelation 21, or, Revelation 1:10 and13. And I want you to notice, the Voice that he heard speaking tohim had the clearness of a trumpet. You know how a trumpetsounds, it gives a shrill sound. What does a trumpet mean inthe Bible? War. Anytime you see a trumpet blow, in a war…

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in the Bible time, its sounding meant a war, either a revelation orsomething to take place.105 Now, he…After the church ages was over, and everythingwas come ready, made ready the setting of the 4th chapter here,the church ages was done. He had done left the earth, you see.Remember, the Voice that spoke to him, behind him, in the sevengolden candlesticks, the work was finished. And now that sameVoice was speaking up in Heaven. What was it? He had doneredeemed His people. His earthly work was finished, and He wasin Glory, calling to John, “Come up hither!” Uh-hum. Amen!That makes me feel like shouting on the eve of New Year. Oh, my!There you are. See, ready, “Come up here!”106 War! This is the setting of the great battle; the people thatrejected God’s Message, rejected the Holy Spirit, the Messengerof the seven churches. The one that had rejected this Message ofHis grace had nothing left, but judgment was ready; oh, while Hewas making ready to pour out the plagues upon the earth now.“Come up hither and I’ll show you what’s fixing to take place.Christ-rejecting, Godless sinners, I’m going to pour out My wrathupon them.”107 Watch the setting. Oh, as we go down through the nightsyou’ll get more of it and more of it all the time. We can’t geteverything in here, we have to keep referring from place to place.How that it’s going to be a terrible thing for those when the lasttrumpet sounds, and when the last battle is fought, when the lastsermon is preached,when the last song is sung, andwe stand at theJudgment Seat of Christ. You’re going to be asked, “Why didn’tyou receive It? What did you do with the Life that I give you?”You’ll be asked to give a reason. What then?108 You’ve heard me sing that song, or try it:

What then? What then?When the great Book is opened, what then?When the ones that reject the MessageWill be asked to give a reason, what then?

109 Going to stand there, just as certain as this Book is written.You’ll be…you’re going to stand there and be asked for a reason.Oh, it pays us, my brother, sister, it behooves us, as sons anddaughters of God, to check up on ourselves every hour of the day.Paul said, “I die daily. Yet I live, not I, but Christ lives in me.” See?Be checked up, because you don’t know what hour you’re goingto be summonsed to answer on High.

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110 Now, “Heard the Voice of the trumpet.” All right. Note, notewhat John said, he said here, in the last part of this 1st chapter:

…first voice…was…like a trumpet that talked withme; and said, Come up hither,…Come up here! I showed you the church ages on earth; now

come up here, I’m going to show you something take placeup here.111 See, Christ had left earth then, He had gone up into Glory,The Church age was through, showed that His Spirit was finishedhere. And He had gone into Glory and was calling for John tocome up, and He showed him what else was going to take place.“Come up hither.”112 Now, we notice John, the 2nd chapter…the 2nd verse.Notice, quickly, John added this:

And immediately…(Amen!)113 Oh, if I act funny, I just feel good. John added:

…immediately I was in the spirit:…114 When you hear the Voice of God speak to you, somethinghappens. Amen! Oh, did it happen to you like that? It did to me,thirty-one years ago, and I’ve never been the same since. Oh, whenHe said, “Come up to Me, all ye that labor and heavy laden, I’llgive you rest.” It changed me.115 John said:

…immediately I was in the spirit:…(What spirit? TheHoly Spirit. Oh!)…I was in the spirit: and, behold, athrone was set in heaven, and one sat on that throne.

116 See, John had left the earth now. Christ had left the earth (inthe form of the Holy Spirit) and had returned back to the Bodyagain. Today the Body sits there as a memorial, as a sacrifice. Weget to that right on down through the chapter here. But the Spiritof Christ come back to live in the Church, to live in us.117 Now, immediately after He showed the end of the age of Hiswork here, He went on up into Heaven, He said, “I’ll show youwhat’s going to be after this, after the church ages.” He said,“John, I can’t talk to you down there no more, ’cause I’ve leftdown here, I’ve come up higher. Come up here with Me!” Amen!“And I’ll show you what’s going to take place hereafter.” Oh, my!Hmm!Oh! Caught up in the vision, caught up intoGlory.118 His experience must have been something like that of Paul’s.Second Corinthians 12:2 and 4, if you’re putting it down. Second

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Corinthians…2 to 4. Paul was caught up one day, in a…intoa vision, too. Did you know that? And he saw things that wasn’texpedient for him to even talk about; fourteen years, never evenmentioned it. See? But listen at the difference between them.

119 What Paul saw, he was forbidden to speak of it or to put it outto the public. Oh, my! I don’t believe he could do it. (For, a littletrip I took one day, I’ve never got over it and never will.) See, he—he saw things that he couldn’t talk about. I guess he didn’t havewords to…he was caught up in the third heavens, though. See,up in the third Heaven.

120 How different when John was caught up and seen Jesus, hewas…Said, “Write it in a book what you have seen and give itback, send it back to the churches.” Paul was forbidden to speak,and John was even asked to put it in a book so it would go alldown through the ages. Oh, my! It’s revealed now, to be revealedin this last days. It wasn’t revealed in his days, it’s revealed now aswe go along.

121 Oh, and notice, John, being taken up immediately after thechurch age, was a type of the raptured Church. Immediately afterthe church age is over, this Laodicean Church Age, then comesthe Rapture. The Church goes up like John did, into the Presenceof God. Oh, my! Whew! That just winds my soul around. Caughtup, at the Rapture of the Church! And It said…This place, theBook ofRevelation,waswritten, see, at the end of the church age.

122 Now, I got a little something here I want to clear up forsomething that’s been an old hanger for a long time amongstmany Christians. And I thought today, when I was studying,writing out Scriptures, and finding names and different colorsand things. We’ll get into them after a while, the rainbows andthe symbols, and so forth. I was writing these Scriptures out hereso that I could look back to them and refer to them, if I…goingalong. ’Cause, usually, if I was going to speak on something likethis, I’d…it’d be different, I would try to know it by heart. Butthis way, when you just have a little time, I like to refer to it ’causeit goes all the way through the Scriptures, back and forth.

123 Now, in Matthew 16:13, we find this, if you that’s puttingthe Scriptures down. Matthew…If you want to return…if youwant to turn to it, all right, Matthew 16:13. It’s…Oh, we’ll justturn back and read it, and then we’ll have it sure. Matthew the16th chapter, and the 13th verse. Listen closely now as we read16:13, “When Peter came…” Or:

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When Jesus came unto the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, heasked his disciples, saying, Who do men say…I the Sonof man am?And they said, Some say…thou art John the Baptist:

some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, and, or one of theprophets.He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am?And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ,

the Son of the living God.And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou,

Simon Bar-jona:…flesh and blood hath not revealed it tothee, but my Father which is in heaven.And I say…unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this

rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall notprevail against it.And now…And I will give unto thee the keys of the

kingdom of heaven: andwhatsoever thou shall bind on earthshall be bound in heaven:…whatsoever thou shall loose onearth shall be loosed in heaven.Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man

that he was Jesus the Christ.124 Listen close now. All right. “For the time begin…From thattime began He…” I want to get another, you can read it ondown, get the 28th verse here, ’cause you can read the rest of itwhen you go home.

Verily—Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here,which shall not taste of death, until they see the Son of mancoming in his kingdom.

125 Oh, think of it! “Some standing here, some standing here, shallnot taste of death until they see the Son of man coming in HisKingdom.” What a statement! How the critic likes to pick that upand just show how dumb he is, see. How he likes to get a hold ofthat, and it’s come to pass and they didn’t know nothing about it.See? All right.126 After Peter’s rock confession, which we know that hisconfession is…He would build His Church on this same rock.Not Peter, being a little stone, as the Roman Catholic tries tosay it. But Peter’s confession of the Revelation, that’s the Church.God will reveal It; not a confession of this man, because later hebackslid. Not a confession of Him being the Son of God; becausethey knew He was the Son of God, Peter just said it. But what it

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was, was, the Revelation that had been revealed from Heaven thatHewas the Son of God. Said, “Flesh and blood has never taught itto you, but My Father which is in Heaven revealed it to you. Andupon this rock, that rock confession, I will build My Church, andthe gates of hell shall not affect…prevail against It.”

127 Hope we don’t run out of time too quick here now, that wecan get right into this. And we want to see how that flows intothe human being. It’s a beautiful story right here if we can justget to it. All right. Yes, the rock confession, what Peter was…Hewould build His Church upon Peter’s confession. He said, “Somethat stand here shall not taste of death till they see the—the Sonof God coming in His Kingdom.”

128 Now, remember, He spoke “some.” That was more than one,wasn’t it? Some would be many, “more than one.” But now look,all of His disciples was standing there, and He was asking eachone of them, “What do you think about this? And what do youthink about that?” But He said, “There’s some of you standinghere, some standing here, will not taste of death until they see theSon of man coming in His Kingdom.” Oh, my! What a statement!Think, two thousand years ago that was stated.

129 Will it…would…Is God’s Word infallible? Every Wordthat He says will come to pass?

130 Now, if we want, turn over to then the 17th chapter ofMatthew is the next.WhenHe taken…A few days after that, Hetaken Peter, James, and John, up into the mountain, apart, to bea witness. Peter, James, and John; and they seen the Kingdom ofGod come in power, they seen the coming of the Kingdom of Godrehearsed. Amen! Oh, they were brought into view of watchingthe Kingdom of God be rehearsed as It come, the issuing in of theMillennium. They seen the rehearsal.

131 Some time ago…a bunch of ministers, Oral Robertswas one of them. Cecil B. DeMille, when he wrote thisTen Commandments, he called up Brother Shakarian, BrotherRoberts, many preachers across the land, any preacher couldcome, and invited them to come into the studio before the picturewas ever released, and let them see the rehearsal of it beforeit was ever showed out, when they was charging twenty-fivedollars a ticket. But he…They seen the rehearsal of it, that theymight pass their opinion on whether there was any critics aboutit or what could be said, and so forth. They seen it before thepublic seen it.

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132 And Jesus said, “Some of you standing here” (Amen!) “willnot taste of death until they see the Kingdom of God comingin power,” or, “see the Son of man coming in His Kingdom,”rather. “See the Son of man coming in His Kingdom!” A few daysafter that, He taken Peter, James, and John, and went up into ahigh mountain, and there He was transfigured before them. Thesun, shining, wouldn’t be like His garments that He had on. Howmany times have we struck it in the parables, we’d run it throughthe Bible!

133 You can take one text of Scripture and tie the whole Bibletogether with it. Yes, sir. Not a leak nowhere! It’s all daubed upwith the power of God. The devil couldn’t squeeze around if hehad to. That’s right. He can’t get in to those sainted people whohas put their testimony out there and believed in the Kingdom ofGod, and took every Scripture and daubed It up with Holy Ghostpower, washed It over in the Blood; the world can’t get into it,the devil can’t get into it. They are dead, their life is hid in Christthrough God’s Seal, by the Holy Ghost. How can the devil botherthem?Hmm! There they are, in this condition now.

134 Over in this place, then, he saw the Coming, or the rehearsal.And what was the first, saw…thing he saw? The first thing hesaw in the Coming was Moses, represented the dead saints thatwould be resurrected. Elijah was standing there.

135 Oh, I want you to notice what will take place. There wasMoses, first; that’s all these six ages that they slept, six churchages. Not only that, but Elijah was there; the messenger of thelast day, with his group, of the transfigured, the Raptured. Amen!Now in the future; awaiting the Coming.

136 And what do they all…? All had gathered with Him. Oh,my! What was it? His promise to Peter, James, and John, wasfulfilled. That’s right. ’Cause He said, “Some standing here willnot taste of death until they see the Son of man coming in HisKingdom,” and they seen the rehearsal of it. Then after this, afterthe resurrection…

137 I’d like to bring to you another thing; after Jesus had died,buried, in Saint John 21:20. Some critic started this in the earlyday. Right while we’re in the lesson, let’s clean it up. In Saint John20:21, Jesus had met with His disciples, fed them fish and breadupon the fire. And as theywent up the bank, John leaned uponHisbosom; and Peter asked the question, said, “What will happen tothis man?” Jesus loved John, John was a man of love. And he said,

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“What will happen to this man? What’s going to be his estate?What’s going to be his future?”138 And Jesus said to them, “What is it to you if he tarries until Icome, till I return? What is it?”139 And the disciples made a mistake, they said that “Jesus saidthat—that—that ‘he was going to live till the Coming.’”140 But Jesus didn’t make no mistake. Right here in Revelation,the 4th chapter, Christ kept His Word! He brought John up intoHeaven and rehearsed the whole thing to him. Glory! He—he sawthe preview. He saw it just as though he lived on earth and sawthe whole church ages come to pass, to the coming of the Lord,the whole Book of Revelation. Oh, my!141 See how infallible His promises is? Now, you’re chosen…James to do that; John, any of the rest of them; wouldn’t even letPaul see it, tell it, nothing.

He said, “What is it to you if he tarries until I come?”142 And being that they said that, He just chose John and tookhim up and showed him the whole thing before he even died,just like he lived the whole thing through. Showed him what itwould be! (Brother Pat, ain’t that wonderful?) Oh, see, picked himright up. Right here, the 4th chapter and the 2nd verse, provesit. “He showed him things which was, which is, and what shallcome.” He showed him the church age, the coming of the Jews,the pouring out of the plagues, the Rapture, the Coming again,and the Millennium, and the Eternal Home of His Saved; justas though he lived right down through the whole thing, and hesaw it all happen. See? See? He just took him up and showed himthe—the—the film that He’s turning, let him see the whole thingrehearsed. Oh, my!143 He’s caught up. Fulfilled His promise in—in Revelation 4:2.Before his death he was caught up in the Spirit and seen thingsjust as though he had lived. He—he seen it all rehearsed. Thushe saw, in a vision, exactly what would have took place and whatdid take place on the earth from that time until the coming of theLord Jesus. Show it to him in the vision.144 So then the disciples…or no one that ever said that He saidHe’d come in that age. He said, “What is it to you if, (otherwise),if he tarries till I come?” Then He took him up and just rehearsedthe thing to him and showed him what was going to happen. Oh,I just love that. Hmm. Oh, my!145 Notice now, let’s see what was this:

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And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a thronewas set in heaven, and one sat upon it, upon the throne.

146 There was a “Voice” that called him. Oh, that Voice! Oh, Ican’t get away from that, that Voice of that One behind him.Then he looked around there, and He showed him all the churchages, ’cause he was standing in the church ages, the seven goldencandlesticks. Then he heard that Voice after the church agesceased; that Voice left the earth, went up. When He got intoGlory, he heard Him say, “Come up here! I’m going to show youwhat’s going to happen from hereafter.” Oh, my!147 That Voice! Let’s speak on that Voice a minute; I got someScriptures wrote down here. Let’s go to First Thessalonians 4,and just listen over here what this Voice is going to say. Oh, weall know what It’s going to say, without…before we read it,don’t we? We know what’s going to happen. “The trumpet of Godshall sound and the dead in Christ shall rise.” Is that right? Youwho are putting it down, in First Thessalonians 4:16 and 17, “theVoice,” that Voice was the Voice of Christ. Is that right? The Voiceof Christ!

For the…trumpet of God shall sound, and the dead inChrist shall rise first:…we which are alive and remain shall be caught up

together with them…to meet the Lord in the air: andforever be with the Lord.

148 The same Voice that summoned John, “Come up,” the sameVoice that said to John, “Come up,” is the same Voice that’llsummons theChurch someday (Amen!), summons theChurch.149 Also, the same Voice that summoned John to come up,is the same Voice that summonsed dead Lazarus out of thegrave, that same Voice of the archangel. Christ is the Voice ofthe archangel, “Voice of the archangel,” see. Oh, that trumpetVoice of Christ summonsed John to come up, the same Voicesummoned Lazarus. Did you notice at the grave of Lazarus, Hespoke with a loud Voice. (Not just said, “Lazarus, come forth.”)“Lazarus, come forth!” It summonsed him from the dead.150 And he answered, “Here am I.” And he come from the dead,after he was dead and his body rotten.151 That same Voice said to John, “Come up here, I’ll show yousome things that’s fixing to happen.”152 That same Voice that shall sound when the dead in Christshall rise, “For the trumpet…” The trumpet! What is a trumpet?

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The Voice of Christ, the same One sounded and summoned himup. He heard the Voice like a trumpet sound and said, “Come uphither!” See how the resurrection will be? It’ll be in a moment,in a twinkling of an eye. That clear sounding Voice, and He’llsummons the Church, calling, “Come out of it.” That greatsummonsing Voice. God, helpme to hear It that day.

153 As I’ve often said…I know, as a mortal, Rodney, I know thatthere’s a big dark door set before me, it’s called death. Every timemy heart beats, I’m one beat closer to that door. Some of thesedays I got to go into it. But I don’t want to go in like a coward,screaming and hollering. I want to go in this, wrapping myself inthe robes of His righteousness, knowing this: that I know Himin the power of His resurrection; that someday when He calls,I’ll come out from among the dead; when He summonses me toappear on High, when the trumpet of God shall sound and thedead in Christ shall rise, if I’m alive, I’ll be changed in a moment,in a twinkling of an eye, and shall go with the rest of them, up tomeet the Lord in the air. That trumpet Voice, sound clear, loud.Hmm.Oh, it will be the same, the same at His Coming.

154 There’s no uncertain sound about It. There was nothinguncertain to John when he heard that Voice say, “Come up!” andhe come. Amen.

155 When Lazarus, in the dead, in the grave; and his soul, fourdays journey somewhere, I don’t know where it was at, I don’tthink any of us does. Wherever it was, it didn’t make a bit ofdifference. He just made one summons to a man that the skinworms was eating his body up; stinking, in the grave. That clearsounding Trumpet said, “Lazarus, come forth!” There a man,dead and rotten, shook hisself and come out of the grave, walking.Nothing uncertain about that, is there, brethren? No uncertaintyto there!

156 It’s the same thing tonight, when a clear sounding Voice says,“Sinner, repent, I’ll give you Eternal Life.” Repent, every one ofyou, and be baptized in theName of Jesus Christ for the remissionof your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.That’s the summons. Nothing uncertain about It.

157 I’m a witness that It’s true. There’s other witnesses, millionsof them throughout the world today, that’s a witness that it’s theTruth. When the Bible comes, the Words of God, every Wordof God is a trumpet. Every sound of the Word is a trumpet, theGospel trumpet. Andwhen It sounds, it’s the Truth.When It said,

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“Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever,” nothinguncertain about That. He’s the same! Yes, sir.158 “Repent, be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, youshall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Nothing uncertainabout That.159 “He that heareth My Words and believeth on Him that sentMe has Eternal Life. He that believeth on Me, though he weredead yet shall he live. He that liveth and believeth in Me shallnever die. Believest thou this?” Nothing uncertain about That,“He shall live!”160 “He that eats my flesh and drinks my Blood has Eternal Life,and I’ll raise him up again at the last day.” Nothing uncertainabout It; nothing; It’s a certain sound.161 Oh, I know It, I heard It sound in my poor Irish heart one day,me, a little ol’ sinner. How could it ever do for me? But I believedIt was a certain sound, I accepted It. I am awitness that It’s true.162 Someday He’ll summons again, we’ll go on out of the world.For there’s no uncertain about that trumpet. Yes, sir. Yes, sir, nouncertain sound, anytime.163 He sounds today when He calls us, It’s just the same when Hetells us anything.164 Now, let’s get back to the verse:

And a…behold, a throne was set in heaven,…(2ndverse)…and one sat on it.

165 Note, “the Throne,” He sat on the Throne. He wasn’t no moreback down in the candlesticks now, on earth. The Rapture haddone come. He was in Glory, sitting on His Throne. I want youto notice on down, we’ll find even in the 5th chapter, it was notthe Throne of mercy. It wasn’t a Throne of mercy anymore, it wasthe Throne of judgment. It wasn’t a Throne of grace, it’s a Throneof judgment because fire and lightning and thunders issued forthfrom it; no more, mercy is over, the Church age is finished. “Hethat’s filthy is filthy still; he that’s righteous is righteous still; hethat’s holy is holy still,” nomore a Throne ofmercy.166 Tonight, the Blood lays on that Throne and it’s a mercy seatfor every sinner that’s seeking mercy. But on that day, it won’t be amercy seat then, it’ll be a judgment seat with a angry God sittingthere. “Where…If the righteous is scarcely saved, where will thesinner and ungodly appear?” Even when He comes in the cloudsof His glory, the mountains will try to find a place to hide. Whereare we going to stay, then?

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Oh, precious is that flowThat makes me white as snow;No other fount I know,Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.

167 Oh,my,what a lesson!No uncertain sound!AndHis Throne:…and He sat on His throne. (He’s no more here.)

168 Now, that’s another thing, it’s a proof that the Church iscaught up before the Great Tribulation. See? Why? Here He ison the Throne in Glory, and the Church is gone, and then comesin the Tribulation.169 I always said that in the days of Noah, Noah was in the arkbefore one drop of rain fell. Lot was out of Sodom before thefire fell. And the Church will be in Glory before the atomic falls.That’s right, before the atomic falls.170 Say, “What about that first one?” It was on heathens, notChristians.171 Now, notice. Oh! He’s finished His work in earth and He’stook His Church, and now He sends the judgment. The worldrejected Him, and He send His judgment. He and His Churchhas gone to Glory.172 John, there on the isle of Patmos, a revelator to the church,has been the type of the Church which is lifted up into Glory,“Come up hither!” Showing…

You say, “He represented the Church?”173 To every one that hears this Word, John represented him.Amen! John was the representative of the Blood of Jesus Christ,testimony of the Word. He was a witness of the baptism ofthe Holy Ghost, with a personal fellowship with Christ, and herepresented the entire Church; that, every man or woman, boy orgirl that ever believed in Christ, accept Him on the same grounds,he’ll be summonsed someday, “Come up hither!” be caught upbefore the Tribulation. Remember, the Tribulation time hasn’tset in yet.174 This is being the time, setting of the judgment. John is beingshowed now what’s going to take place after the Church age. See?So, it was.175 Now, notice again in the 3rd verse, or 2nd, “A Throne set inHeaven, and One sat on the Throne.” Now, the same Spirit thatwas in the earth, had left and had gone to Glory, and was sitting(the same Jesus that’s with us tonight) inmercy, was gone toGloryand sitting on the Throne.

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And he that sat on the Throne was to look upon as jasperand…sardine stone: and there was a rainbow aroundabout the throne, in the sight like unto an emerald.

176 I’m going to quit, ’cause there’s other brothers to preach.Maybe I’ll pick this up in the morning, right here. And so, “to

look upon as a emerald.” Oh, my! Oh!There are people almost everywhere,Whose hearts are all on flame (Don’t you lovethat?)

…fire that fell on Pentecost,That cleansed and made them clean;Oh, it’s burning now within my heart,Glory to His Name!I’m so glad that I can say I’m one of them.

177 John, called and summonsed by the Lord Jesus, promised byGod back there that he would see the coming of the Son of man.Peter, James, and John, and them standing present, when Jesusspoke to them and said, “There’s some standing here will not tasteof death until they see the Son of man coming.” He didn’t say“all” was standing there, but “some.” And they went, few daysafter that, and saw the order of the resurrection rehearsed, andthe coming of the Lord.178 Elijah represented the dead saints…I mean Moses, and beresurrected. Elijah represented the translated bunch. Remember,Moses was first, and then Elijah. Elijah was to be the messengerof the last day, that with him and his group would comethe resurrection…would come the…well, it would come theRapture, I mean. Moses brought in the resurrection and Elijahbrought in the Raptured group. And, there, both of them wasrepresented right there.179 And after a while they noticed then, and they seen, andPeter said, “Let’s build three tabernacles. Let some go under thelaw, and let some go under Elijah, and let’s go (some of them)this way.”180 And while they were yet speaking, a Voice spoke and said,“This is My beloved Son, hear ye Him.” And when they looked,they seen Jesus only, everything had wilted into One. Oh, and Hewas the Light, the Truth, theWay, theDoor, the Rainbow.181 Oh, tomorrow we got a great lesson, the Lord willing.Tomorrow we take “the judgments”; we take “the sardine stone,”see what it represents, what part it played. And we take the—the—the “jasper” and we take the…all the different stones, and

30 THE SPOKEN WORD

we take these all down through Ezekiel, back into Genesis, backover to Revelation, come down in the middle of the Bible, tie ittogether, these different stones and colors, and so forth. And thenwe bring it right straight back to that and see if that ain’t right.See? See if it ain’t the same color and everything, just the samething. And the same Holy Spirit, the same God, showing the samesigns, samewonders, doing the same thing just asHe promised!182 He told Peter, James, and John, and them standing there, allof His disciples, said, “Some of you will not see death until theysee the Son of man coming in His Kingdom.”183 Said to John, said…Peter said, “What are You going todo with him? He…That—that fellow, what’s going to happento him?”184 He said, “What is it to you if he sees Me coming?” And Helet him live to see it! After the rest of them was dead and gone,John lived to see the coming of the Lord rehearsed in power, thewhole scene set from his time until the Judgments is over andthe Millennium is issued in. John saw every bit of it, and theMillennium over, and the Kingdom Age started. So He keeps HisWord, doesn’t He?185 We’ll mark it on the 2nd verse. The Lord willing, we’ll beginthe 3rd verse in the morning.

Let us bow our heads.186 How many tonight, in this church, that knows, my brother,that, (sister), that you’re going to be summonsed someday,whether you’re ready or not? Whether you are prepared or not,you’re going to be summonsed tomeetGod. That trumpet’s goingto sound; and when it does, it’ll sound to condemnation to you, atwhere you’ll never live again and you’ll be tormented in a devil’spits of hell for maybe in millions of years, or it’ll summons youon High to meet the glorious Saints.187 Just as sure as God kept His Word to Peter, James, and John;just as sure as He kept It to John the beloved, the revelator; just assure as He kept His promise through the church ages; it’s that surethat He promised in this last days He would send down in a latterrain and would bring back the same Spirit was upon the earth inHim, the Light shall come in the evening time and show the samePower, the same signs, and everything that He did in His day Hewould show it again in this “openDoor” in the last day.188 Here It is! We got It right with us now, the Holy Spirit,Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. You’re…It’s preaching to you, It’s teaching to you, It’s trying to get you to

REVELATION, CHAPTER FOUR PART I 31

see what’s right and wrong. It’s the Holy Spirit Himself speakingthrough human lips, operating among human beings, trying toshow mercy and grace.189 And you haven’t received Him as yet, and on this New Year’sEve night would you like to raise up your hands to God and say,“God, let me receive the Power that was on John the revelator,that when I’m summoned I’ll appear before You in peace like hedid”? Raise your hand. God bless you. God bless you. Just allover the church. God bless you. “Let me be ready to answer mysummons.”190 Our Heavenly Father, as this New Year’s Eve…just abouttwo hours now and it’ll be over, there will be a new year. What wehave done this year we have did. Many things that I’ve done, that,I’m ashamed of myself; I repent of those, Lord.191 And there’s a lot of things that I’ve done that many of mybrethren didn’t understand. Many of my brothers out in the fieldsdon’t understand in why I did them. But, Father, I did thembecause I was led to do them. I pray, Father, that Youwill never letme be ashamed of that leading. But lead me on, Lord, to continueto do as I am led to do. Help me, God, because I seek sincerelyto know Your will, that I might do it to bring (as You showed memany years ago when I left this church) the Bread of Life to thepeoples of the world. When I saw that great mountain of Bread,and white-robed Saints coming from all over the earth to eat thisBread of Life. O God, let me—O God, let me never, never fail tofeed the people on the Bread of Life.192 Bless these hungry souls in here that raised their hands justnow. They’re seeking for more of Life. I pray that You’ll fill themwith the Holy Ghost, Lord, each one of them. God, grant it. Givethem blessings. Help our brethren, everywhere.193 Bless our ministering brothers that’s fixing to come up again,now in a few moments, others will be speaking. We pray that theywill give out the Bread of Life to us tonight, Father, as we’ll listenclosely and reverently to hear the Voice. Grant it.194 Bless us. And may this new year dawn with new hopes,bringing new thoughts, new revelations, new power, oh,everything. May it be renewed to us again, Lord, of Thy blessingsand promises. We commit ourselves, with our prayer, into Thyhands. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Thank you, my brethren and sisters.195 [Brother Neville speaks: “I’m sure we can all rejoice wewasn’tin any hurry at all and would have been delighted to have just

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kept listening; for Brother Branham here tonight bringing us thismessage. And it’s the message that encourages us because weknow that God is in it. Amen.”—Ed.] Praise the Lord! [“Andof what He has said He is well able to perform it even unto Hiscoming again.”] Yes. [“And He will do it, not only that, I’ve ofttimes said that…we say a lot of times to people, ‘Do you believethat Jesus Christ can heal you?’ and, of course, you can usually getthem make a consent to it. But the thing of it is, do you believe Hewill heal you now?”] Amen! [“Then sometimes people says, ‘Well,I don’t know.’ The lady that just passed away at the hospital; wentin to see her, said, ‘Sister, do you still believe that Jesus saves?’She said, ‘Yes, I do.’ I said, ‘Do you believe that Jesus Christheals?’ She said, ‘Yes, sir, I do.’ I said, ‘Do you believe He healsyou right now?’ She said, ‘That I don’t know.’ And I said, ‘Sister,you can know it because the promise is to you.’”] Amen! [“Amen.He’s made the promise. Now, while we’re going to hear anotherone of our brothers here. We have several around and this…OnNew Year’s Eve, we don’t have a pre-arranged program. We justcome together and let God move as He directs and leads.”] Amen![“And you know, it’s been a long time since we’ve heard BrotherPat Tyler and give his testimony or whatever the Lord lays onhis heart. And we’re going to ask Brother Pat to bring whateverGod lays on his heart. But before he comes up, a good Christianbrother back there, Brother Randall Hyman, and he’s here and hehas the talent for the Lord to sing and you know. I’ve just desiredhim to be able to use that talent for the Glory of God, so I’mgoing to ask Brother Randall if he would come up and sing forus. He’s sung for us one or two times here and going to ask himto use his talent again tonight for the Lord Jesus, if he will. If hewill come now to sing for us. He’s got some youngsters back therehe’s helping take care of, but maybe he can get away now to comeup and sing for us. While he’s doing that, we also have BrotherKinder back here; beloved Pentecostal brother, we’re happy forhim. And we have Brother J. T. Parnell back there somewhere. Ithink he’s sitting right back here on the outside of the row. Andmighty happy for all these good Christian brothers…”] Beelerthere. [“…brothers of the faith and let’s see.”] Brother Beeler’sback there. [“Brother Beeler’s back here, too. Yes. Brother Beeleris here and…”]

REVELATION, CHAPTER FOUR PART I60-1231 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST SERIES

This Message by Brother William Marrion Branham was delivered on Saturday evening,December 31, 1960, at the Branham Tabernacle in Jeffersonville, Indiana, U.S.A. Thissermon, number 60‑1231, is one hour and thirty minutes. Every effort has been made toaccurately transfer the verbal Message from the magnetic tape recording to the printedpage, and is printed herein unabridged and distributed by Voice Of God Recordings.

©2020 VGR, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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